5 holiday treats to make with locally sourced goods on Vancouver Island

This holiday season, support local artisans and small businesses by making your goodies with products from Vancouver Island.

Here’s how!

Mulled gin

Wine isn’t the only alcohol that can be transformed into a warm, festive drink. Mulled gin is a fancy alternative with a deceptively simple recipe.Use their Victoria Gin from Victoria Distillers to make this deliciously spiced beverage, perfect for cold December nights.

Victoria Distillers, a distillery in Sidney, is one of Canada’s oldest small-batch spirit companies. They also offer tours and tastings at their waterfront location.

Spiced nuts

Whether they’re a Christmas party appetizer or a homemade gift in a festive tin, spiced nuts are a holiday staple – and honey is key when it comes to their sweetness and depth of flavour.Try making your spiced nuts this Christmas with Urban Bee’s cinnamon honey for a little extra oomph!

Urban Bee Honey Farm has been located on the Saanich Peninsula since 2015. In addition to over 20 varieties of honey, they offer beeswax products like candles and soap.

Fudge

Decorated and gifted or eaten right out of the pan, fudge never tastes better than at Christmas. This combination of sweet and salty will take your fudge to a whole new level.

Sprinkle a little of Salt Spring Sea Salt’s chocolate vanilla fleur de sel into and on top of your fudge to give it a unique flair.Salt Spring Sea Salt was established in 2014 on Salt Spring Island. Their fleur de sel comes in a number of delicious flavours like blackberry and smoked mesquite.